how to fix Alum boat ??

[gary mok]

Thanks all you guys,I got it.

[4ptbuck]

Gary did you buy a boat?
Best thing to do is bring it into Hy-Line and get them to weld the leak.
Remember how leaky my boat was...

[Phreddy]

When all else fails, place the boat right side up, put enough water in it to cover the entire bottom about 4" deep, grab a piece of chalk and go underneath. Every place you see water dripping through a loose rivet, you mark with the chalk. Drain the boat, lay it on its side, get a friend on the other side to hold a large chunk of steel or sledge hammer head against the offending rivet, and pound the p*ss out of the offending rivet from your side. If the rivet has worn too big a hole around itself, drill it out and put a larger aircraft rivet (available at most places that sell aluminum boats) in and pound it down.
Nothing p*sses me off more than trying to cut through all the crap somefolks put on the bottom of a boat to repair a leak temporarily, so that I can repair it properly.
Best part of all? You don't have to wait for it to dry, set, or season before you use it next.

[Deadeye]

Most tin boats will NEVER see new rivets. All will need them.
I agree with you in general (X10!), but not this application.

[boxhitch]

On the same topic, I need to replace a portion of the keel on an aluminum car-topper that bit the rocks. Its U-shaped with a flange on both sides for rivetting in palce, need about 2 to 3 feet. Has anyone seen where this might be available to buy ?

[spreerider]

i used roof patch compound, the black tar stuff with the fiberglass fibers mixed in, still works great.
make sure to use aluminum rivets, ss ones will cause your aluminum to corrode around the rivet.

[Charlie]

I know this has been discussed almost to death, but may I suggest if you go the rivet route, you use solid rivets, and not blind rivets.

Solid rivets are much stronger, although you will have to shape it a bit with a hammer and block. More work, but will last a lifetime if done right. Next to welding a patch in, this is your best bet.

I had to do this to my little alumuninum and its good to go... Never to be worried about again.

Cheers..

[Gnarly]

If you want to give it a go and do it properly , I'll loan you a 4x rivet gun, set and a bucking bar,cleco's whatever. Heck I might even have enough rivets kicking around depending on your patch size. It takes a bit of skill to properly upset a solid rivet with a hammer, and the rock I'd really like to see. Over driving ends up in a cold worked fractured rivet , Solids are the only way to go as has been said here previously and if you are going to do a doubler repair use the pro seal 870 that is designed to seal aircraft fuel tanks (aluminum). If your close by and have an air compressor hose and beer I'll come give you a hand.

Boxhitch is this piece your describing an extrusion? your local metal supplier or boat builder would be a good place to start, if its just formed sheet you should be able to work some .040 around a steel tube of the correct diameter to shape it.

[shotgunjohn]

I've got to agree with Spreerider. Mine had some small cracks beside the rivets. I used roof patch over two years ago and it's still good to go.

[gary mok]

Gary did you buy a boat?
Best thing to do is bring it into Hy-Line and get them to weld the leak.
Remember how leaky my boat was...

Hi Preston yes I did,Now I am looking for a motor from 7.5 up to9 hp /short shaft with gas tank and hose,anyone here has one for sale,let me know what you have ,thanks!!!